Elements of Comics - Plot

Comic books are a very special medium of story telling. For one, from the word comic book you already can deduce that a comic book is a book. The word comic, on the other hand, means funny or, in this connotation, enjoyable. Put it all together and you have an enjoyable book. Now, that doesn’t seem too sophisticated. A compilation of comic books is called a graphic novel. If you dissect the phrase “graphic novel”, graphic would mean visual and novel would mean fiction prose. Put it all back together and it becomes visual fiction prose, which seems more complicated and sophisticated and a better term that can explain the components or elements of a comic book: LITERATURE + ART =  COMIC BOOK

I guess since you don’ see the word plot anywhere in there your wondering, “Why plot?” You see plot is a part of any narrative literature and since most, if not all, comic stories are narratives, plot becomes part of the picture …

So enjoy (if you can)

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PLOT

Remember the plot diagram from english class?

Refresher:

Exposition = background info, introduction, set up of tone and theme

Rising Action = built up of suspense, events that occur, conflicts

Climax = turning point, comes to terms with emotions or physically exciting

Falling action = calming down

Resolution =loose ends are tied

Unlike your run of the mill book, the plot structure of a comic book arc and a comic book issue are independent if each other. Arcs follow the plot diagram while a comic book may or may complete the plot diagram. From personal experience, I believe there are three common plot structures for comic books (either that or I have an affinity towards these plot structures):

1. Half Plot - This is when a comic book is in the middle of a story arc and the book only reaches the rising action or the climax, in the form of a cliff hanger.

A decent example would be in Batman and Robin #6. Towards the end of this issue Damian/Robis is being tortured. The villain then sadistically forces batman, through Robin’s communicator, to listen to him suffer.

 2. Mid-fall Plot - In this plot structure, the issue ends in the falling action. This usually occurs when the battle has finally been won and the main conflict is resolved.

For example in New x-men #41 p 20-23

3. ¼ + Plot - This plot structure is a combination of  the falling action and/or resolution of the previous arc, and the exposition and the rising action of the next arc. The issue ends in the rising action. These comic book issues usually conclude with a cliff hanger, though these cliff hangers are usually part of the rising action.

For example in New x-men #42. In this issue life is beginning to go back to normal, but at the same time become hell again.

As a resolution, loose (plot) ends are being tied

Like Anole’s thoughts about his cut off arm

The explanation of Rockslide’s Lava form

And what will become of Pixie now that she lost part of her soul.

As for the rising action, new conflicts (such as below) are created.

(BTW the girl i the picture and the guy on the right [the one not receiving some action] sort of like like each other. That explains the reaction on the next pannel)

4. Then there is the usual way (from introduction to resolution) , like in the recent volumes of Hawkeye.

Hawkeye #6

Introduction

Resolution

Hawkeye #7

Introduction

Resolution

Uniformly, all these structures have to have to pass through the introduction and rising action no matter how short or long they are or have to be.

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Up next …

If there is a plot then there are also plot devices. Like every form of literature, there are different ways each device is applied. And that goes for comics as well.

 link: PLOT DEVICES

(all articles part of this series will be placed under the tag of elements of comics)

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